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To Wash Or Not To Wash!

There was a time, a number of years ago, when women thought it was improper to wear slacks. As time went by they became acceptable, but not for church. When jeans came

These were the people jeans were originally designed for.

on the scene they were certainly taboo for women. Now though, they wear slacks or jeans to church. They say its been 75 years since jeans began being made, then they were mainly worn by farmers and miners.

Yes, it’s been 75 years since Levi Strauss Company created the first pair. Women started wearing slacks and jeans when the fashion industry convinced them that pants were a necessary part of a well dressed wardrobe.

So, women wear jeans and we’ve reached the point where we can’t get along without them. In the 1980’s jeans became high fashion clothing. Famous fashion designers began making jeans and sales started to sky rocket. Now they are made to fit the curves of a woman’s body. A buyer may choose slight curve, demi curve and bold curve.

As a child, I didn’t wear jeans. As a teen, I remember wearing pedal pushers, but they were not made of denim. In High School there was only one boy in the class who wore jeans, we called them overalls, and that was o.k. because he was a farmer. Now, even babies are dressed in jeans and sneakers, probably starting at six months.

Men wear jeans with sport coats and those, both men and women, who want to make a

Yes, these are intended to be this way.

deliberate fashion statement wear jeans that are acid washed, have rips and tears and fraying cuffs and pockets. Of course, I now wear jeans. I prefer those with a high rise, (hard to find) and have learned that all jeans are not suitable for all body shapes. A little bit of stretch is helpful in getting jeans on, and make a woman look thinner. Skinny jeans are fun and look good with boots, as do most jeans.

I’m sure I have not touched on anything about jeans that you already don’t know. We wear a pair of jeans for a day, then throw them in the dirty clothes basket to be washed and if you’re like me, pressed.

Here’s the latest jeans information you may not be aware of. A CEO of Levis Strauss, says, “Don’t wash your jeans.” At the “green” conference where he was speaking he worn a pair of jeans that

Just spot wash them.

had “not yet seen a washing machine in over a year.” Scary isn’t it! And what about the germs? No problem, he says. Just stick your jeans in the freezer once a month ( next to the frozen waffles) to kill off the bacteria.

He wasn’t kidding! He claimed that not washing your jeans keeps them in mint condition and helps conserve water. These thoughts he gave as two good reasons for accepting his ideas. If by chance they appear soiled, he suggests spot cleaning with a tooth brush or sponge.

This is the way to do it.

If you are beginning to like the idea, you may want to consider the fact that freezing your jeans will not kill all bacteria, but hopefully it does kill the germs that may cause them to smell. (ugh!) There’s more, throwing them in the microwave just might complete the job of killing the germs.

Consider this! This was not a comedy act, this was a serious, grown man, a representative of the Levi Strauss Company, who went on to say that ” real denim aficionados never put their threads near soap and water.” That’s news to me, but then, you wouldn’t consider me a denim aficionados! So here’s the question: “To wash or not to wash?” I want to hear your thoughts on this.

By the way, since this seems to be a subject to help the environment, I must say that I do wash jeans in cold water, something else he recommends if you must wash them. It’s said that this step saves a person 50 cents a load, so, consider what eliminating washing completely would save you.

That’s two of us. I wonder how many more will agree with us. It must this CEO only wears his jeans for office work. Spot cleaning would never do after a day’s work in the yard and garden. Thanks for writing, Janine.

I can honestly tell you that I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t wash their jeans. Lol I can’t imagine what they must smell like, if you don’t want them. I would think that “spot cleaning” would just leave the jeans with spots of different colors all over them. Have you ever tried to “spot wash” something? It’s my experience that they usually doesn’t work well, especially if it is a bad stain that you are trying to remove. So, I agree with you…..I will continue to wash my jeans. I wash in cold water, too. Enjoy your week.

I’m all about washing. I never wear anything till it’s been washed…especially underwear. Even before I add detergent the clothing releases suds and the chemicals they contain. Back in the day we were not allowed to wear pants to school. In the winter I would wear them under my dress and take them off at my locker. When we were finally allowed they had to be a “pants suit” where the top came over the pants like a dress would. I went back to my alma mater years later to jeans frayed like in your photo and definitely not washed. My son started wearing jeans at 4 months…they were a Christmas present from his aunt and uncle. Thanks for all the memories this post has brought to mind.

Hi Donna: So far no one thinks the CEO’s idea is a good one. It is rather strange to us who wash everything after just a few wearings, sometimes only one. Your mother is one of those women who never fell for the fashion world’s hype on blue jeans, she probably better off because of it. Maybe you’ll decide to iron your jeans. 🙂 Thanks for writing.

WASH! I do not wash anything before I wear it, even though I know some people say you really should. I iron, but not jeans. And, I do wear them a couple of times before washing, as long as I wasn’t all sweaty or doing something that caused them to get dirty. And yes, I wash everything in cold water. (the except is when children have gotten sick or had “accidents” all over something)
Karen Gann